Fellow riders, I have a problem and dilemma. I have a 2014 Tri Glide, purchased in May 2014. After the 1000 mile break in and service my wife and I rode approx 2700 miles. During the return trip at approximately 3500 od ometer miles, in A.M. first start for a gas pump the bike started tapping subtly and then progressed to a loud and easily heard Tap. Sounds Like a lifter ?. We had not gone but a couple hundred yards to the pump and shut the engine off. Once fueled I restart engine and the bike returns to normal. I have had the bike Nine mos it has happened numerous times. Always at cold starts, never in the drive way just sitting, happens more as I begin to go down the road getting good and loud where upon I pull over and restart the bike, problem goes away. And I believe once or more just corrects self before able to pull over. Sounds like one part tapping not multiple parts. and sounds like the upper cylinder. I had the bike at Fort myers harley Davidson after we returned in june, they could not replicate the problem "NO" fix". In Jan 2015 I placed the bike at same dealer again now for rear shock leaking fluid (both warranty replaced) and since there, check again, for a recent tapping episode. Dealer unable to replicate sound "come pick up bike". A week after picking up the bike and first start on saturday morning headed down my street the tapping starts again. This time my tech savvy wife fires up the MIC app on her smart phone and records 12 good seconds of this tapping. Drop the bike on monday 2-25-15 at fort myers harley davidson "Six Bends" text the service writer the recording (he also thought lifter),now after a week cant replicate and state both the tech and master tech listened to the recording, unable to make determination. No Fix. With out Problem surfacing in their presence nothing can be done. Any body same problem?

 

I don't get anything like that on my 15 ... but I only have 2200 miles on it. Only issue I had was the leaking coolant system

 

Sounds like a weak lifter to me.

 

I agree, lifter would be 1st on my list. The lifters Harley uses are junk. If I remember right they are made in Mexico. Harley does most of its parts shopping at the cheapest supplier they can find.

 

I agree with all the above. If it were me, I'd replace the lifters with a set of good quality aftermarket lifters. Lots of failures reported with the 'new' Harley -C lifters.

 

I agree, sounds like a lifter leaking down. Do not know who your service advisor is. See Shawn McGannon at six bends and tell him Brian (he knows me well), suggested that you call him. I also have a set of new S&S Premium lifters in my stash from the sale of my trike that I'll sell to you at dealer cost. PM me if interested as I live in the Cape. Shawn will tell you that those lifters are in his personal bike & maybe he can warranty the labor cost for you.

 

WERE IT ME.... I wouldn't do anything. You are still under warranty!! You have taken your trike in many times for the same thing. Keep the paperwork. Sooner or later that lifter will fail and you may get a free engine out of the deal. Ride it like you stole it, tappet noise and all.

 

Gotta agree ... don't let them off the hook ... you reported the issue ... if they are willing to take the chance it doesn't fail ... so be it ... ride it harder .. my only concern would be on failure maybe getting hurt from the engine failing ... but I think that is remote.

 

Problem with that is they put the same crappy parts back in the motor. These C lifters are a ticking time bomb and that is well documented. I would not want my bike down waiting to have an engine shipped. Sometimes good preventive maintenance with better parts solves the problem for good. At our dealership they do not flag the bike or mess with your warranty when using aftermarket parts as long as the dealership installs those parts. Look at the list of mods done to my bike. Shawn just had the complete primary drive replaced a few months back due to the automatic chain tensioner failing and taking out the compensator, clutch basket. IPB and some other parts. No cost to me!

 

to me the hard part of riding it till it breaks is you never know when and it is hard to enjoy a ride like that . did you do any exhaust work ? the heat shields are very well noted for making noise like that , and echoes up and sounds like a motor or tappet noise , keep us posted